


"You Look Tired Today"

by Humbae



Category: Ylvis
Genre: Fluff, Gen, One-Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-29
Updated: 2013-12-29
Packaged: 2018-01-06 15:22:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1108440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Humbae/pseuds/Humbae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Returning to Africa to film Swahiliwood dredges up all sorts of memories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"You Look Tired Today"

”You look tired today”, JB said. Vegard tried to deny it, but he knew he looked exhausted. He felt exhausted. The previous night had been endlessly long and Vegard hadn't slept a single wink. The reason was very simple: Bård.

The boys were in Africa filming their newest miniseries, Swahiliwood. Although they were in a different area than where they had lived in as children, the surroundings were still eerily familiar. The smells, the sounds, the very quality of the air was something they hadn't felt in a long time. Both were having all sorts of old memories rise up. Not all the memories were good.

Bård and Vegard were staying at a small hotel with a limited number of rooms. Most were meant for four or more people, but the brothers had reserved one of the twin rooms. They usually shared a room when they were travelling together, mostly since they liked to keep working late into the night and since it was convenient and familiar. 

The night had been quiet at first. Both had been tired after travelling and filming all day so they had gone to sleep early. Vegard had been laying just at the edge of sleep when he heard it. He couldn't quite determine what he was hearing but it drew his attention, so he got out of bed, stood in the middle of the small room and listened. It soon became apparent that the sound was coming from the direction of Bård's bed. Vegard went closer and realised Bård was whimpering very quietly.

Vegard leaned closer and saw that Bård was fast asleep but evidently having a nightmare. Vegard didn't hesitate one moment before he shook his brother awake. Bård woke up breathing hard and looking around with wide eyes.

”It's ok, shh, everything is okay”, Vegard said calmingly. Bård looked so lost, afraid and finally ashamed that Vegard simply spread his arms and let Bård cling to him. Vegard continued muttering soothing nonsense until he felt Bård calm down.

Bård extricated himself from his brother and wiped his eyes furiously. His face was red from crying and from embarrassment.

”Jesus, I'm sorry”, Bård said harshly, trying to save some resemblance of dignity. Vegard only looked at him sadly. ”Can we just forget that that just happened?” Bård pleaded.

”No”, Vegard said quietly. Bård looked like he was about to protest, but Vegard held up his hand. ”Just... talk to me. What's wrong?”

”Nothing's wrong”, Bård said, pushing his hair behind his ears.

”Just tell me”, Vegard was almost whispering. Bård saw no sign of ridicule or mockery on Vegard's face. The only things he saw were worry and a genuine need to help, so characteristic of Vegard.

”I just... I heard the guns again”, Bård said and he needed to say no more. Vegard understood.

Growing up in the middle of a civil war, it wasn't unusual that they heard and saw violence. Their parents did their best to protect their young boys from all the horrors of the war, but it was impossible to avoid it completely when you lived in the middle of it. Bård and Vegard had been young, but they remembered. As the older one, Vegard had understood what was happening better. However, it was Bård, who only knew that something bad was happening and that the adults were scared when they heard the loud sounds who had suffered from nightmares for a while after they had moved back to Norway. With time, the nightmares had slowly faded completely, but returning to Africa had brought the memories back to surface.

”I'm here”, was all Vegard said and it was enough. Bård had never told their parents about his nightmares. When he was too frightened to sleep, he would not crawl into their parents' large bed but into Vegard's. His brother would automatically lift his blanket and let Bård cuddle up close to his side. That alone hadn't been enough though. After Vegard had fallen back asleep, Bård had been scared again and the nightmares would return if he also fell asleep. When he found that out, Vegard had made a promise to his little brother. He had never broken that promise.

”Go back to sleep”, Vegard said and sat down on Bård's bed, leaning against the headboard. Bård only nodded and all but disappeared under the covers. Vegard would stay up all night. He had made a promise to guard Bård's sleep when they were young and as far as Vegard was concerned, that promise still held. As expected, Bård fell asleep almost immediately. He was pressed against the side of Vegard's leg, feeling the warm, strong presence. Vegard watched Bård for a while. He closed his eyes but knew he wouldn't sleep. He was tired, but he would keep watch all night. One sleepless night was a small price to pay in order to allow his little brother to sleep peacefully and not relive the memories of war.

Vegard listened to Bård's breathing until the first rays of the sun coloured the sky. Only then did Vegard get up and go to his own bed, waiting for Bård to wake up. Vegard wasn't sure if Bård remembered anything from nights like that since they had never talked about them, but on some level, he knew Bård must know. Either way, Vegard would keep up the pretence and they could carry on as if nothing had happened. Of course, when Bård woke up five minutes later, saying good morning, chipper as a bird, Vegard felt like punching him right in the middle of his perky face. They continued their day normally and if Bård was unusually nice to his older brother that day, neither commented on it.

Sometimes words are simply not needed.

**Author's Note:**

> Credit where credit is due: this piece of pointless fluff was partially inspired by Sadepisara's story Still Here (the last paragraph of chapter 1 to be precise). That one is written beautifully and reminded me about this silly theory I had while watching Swahiliwood episode 5.


End file.
